KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are anticipated to be with out operating again Isiah Pacheco for his or her high-profile recreation in opposition to the Buffalo Payments on Sunday after their main rusher sprained a knee ligament in final week’s win over the Washington Commanders.
Pacheco didn’t follow Wednesday because the Chiefs turned their consideration to the rematch of final yr’s AFC Championship Recreation, which implies Kareem Hunt is in line for extra carries, with Brashard Smith and Elijah Mitchell backing him up.
Pacheco, who has 329 yards dashing via the primary eight weeks, carried 12 occasions for 58 yards earlier than hurting his knee late in Monday night time’s win. Pacheco additionally missed a bit of final season when he fractured his fibula in a recreation in opposition to Cincinnati.
“We’ll simply see. He is shifting round. However powerful child,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned Wednesday. “There was a degree the place he wished to return in [Monday] and I would not let him. That is how he is wired. It’s important to reduce his legs off to cease him.”
Hunt has primarily been the short-yardage again this season and is an enormous purpose the Chiefs have the league’s greatest offense on fourth down, changing on 14 of 16 makes an attempt with Patrick Mahomes on the sphere.
Hunt, the membership’s 2017 third-round decide, returned to the Chiefs final yr after Pacheco acquired harm in Week 2, and he crammed in admirably for them regardless of having missed the earlier offseason and coaching camp whereas recovering from his personal harm.
He signed a $1.5 million contract in March to stick with Kansas Metropolis, although incentives might push the worth a lot increased.
“He is in all probability in higher form, simply in general higher form, not that he was in horrible form earlier than,” Reid mentioned. “However he is had a yr to do it, and form of get again within the swing after having a little bit little bit of a layoff there.”
The largest query is whether or not Hunt can maintain his effectiveness with further carries. He has but to run the ball greater than 13 occasions in a recreation this season, and he solely had 4 carries in a win over the Raiders two weeks in the past.
“I really feel the very best I’ve felt the final three or 4 years,” Hunt mentioned. “Physique is feeling good.”
Smith, a seventh-round decide within the April draft, had began to earn extra taking part in time even earlier than Pacheco acquired harm. The previous school huge receiver ran 14 occasions in opposition to the Raiders, largely within the fourth quarter as Kansas Metropolis was making an attempt to complete off a 31-0 rout, and he was efficient despite the fact that the Las Vegas protection knew he could be getting the ball.
Mitchell is the wild card within the equation. He ran for almost 1,000 yards throughout the 2021 season in San Francisco, however his taking part in time dwindled the next two seasons, and he missed all of final yr whereas recovering from a hamstring harm.
“A whole lot of guys would not even come again from that factor,” Reid mentioned. “He battled again, and you possibly can see him getting higher each week via camp, and progressing via now. He takes a whole lot of reps with the scout-team group.”
Whomever will get the carries in opposition to Buffalo may benefit from the return of standout proper guard Trey Smith, who missed final week’s win over the Commanders with again spasms. Smith returned to the follow subject Wednesday.
ESPN’s Nate Taylor and The Related Press contributed to this report.